Pipe or rod holder



No. 749,760. PATENTED'JAN. 19, 1904. y E. E. TOWNSEND.

PIPE OR ROD HOLDER.

APPLICATION) FILED APB.. 22, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Ill-MINI I I IIlllll Patented January 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

v EVERETTE EWING TOW NSEND, OF FORT STOOKTON, TEXAS.

PIPE OR ROD HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,760, dated January 19, 1904.

Application nea Aprn 22, 190s.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, EVERETTE EwING TowN- SEND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Stockton, in the county of Pecos and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Pipe or Rod Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices employed for holding tubes or rods, more particularly in connection with well drilling or pumping operations, and has for its object to produce a simply constructed and easily operated and applied device whereby the tubes or rods will be instantly gripped and prevented from movement in one direction when required and which may be adjusted to fit pipes of various sizes.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention,

'in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan View of the device applied. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective View of the locking-key.

The improved device consists of two basesections 10 11, oppositely disposed and spaced apart and with inwardly-facing cavities 12 13 and provided with transverse apertures to receive clamp-bolts 14 15.

Connected by the bolts 14 15 to the outer sides of the base-sections '10 11 are tie-plates 16 17, the latter having apertures correspondto adapt the device to different-sized pipes or rods, as hereinafter more fully described.

Within the cavities 12 13 are movably supported, as by pivot-bolts 22 23, opposing gripping-jaws 24 25, curved upon their adjacent faces and either serrated or smooth, according as to whether they are to be used upon the polish rods or upon the rougher pipes o1' rods. The curves of the operative Serial No. 153,837. (No model.)

faces of the jaws 24 25 will be eccentric tothe pivots 22 23, as shown, so that they will offer no obstruction to the upward movement of the rod or tube, but will grip the latter and effectually prevent any downward movement thereof. Thus so long as the rod or tube is moving upwardly the device remains inactive, but becomes instantly effective in event of any downward movement of the tube or pipe. The device is thus automatic in its action.

Between the upper surfaces of the grip-jaw members 24 25 and the tops of the cavities 12 13 are springs 26 27, exerting their force constantly to yieldably maintain the jaw members normally in operative` position, so that the actionwill be very positive and sure. The gripping-j aw members and the interiors of the cavities 12 13 will preferably be formed with small recesses to receive the ends of the springs, as shown.

The gripping-jaw members 24 25 will be provided with small oppositely-disposed recesses 28 29, preferably near their outer ends, to receive a spreader-key 30 to hold the jaw members separated and out of action, when it is desired to render the device non-effective, when it is desired to permit the pipe or rod to descend. The key will preferably be connected to one of the bars 16 or 17 by a thong oriother connection, so that it will not become mislaid, the thong also providing for the instant withdrawal of the key when required. The key 3() will preferably be wedge-shaped or -wider at one end than the other, the narrow end operative as a spreader when the device is adjusted for the smaller pipes or rods and the wider end for use when the device is adjusted for the larger tubes or rods.

The base-sections rest by their flat lower surfaces upon any suitable support, and the device is therefore,independent of all other parts of the drilling or pumping apparatus or machinery.

The parts 10 11 will preferably be of mall leable iron and the parts 24 25 of steel, suitably hardened, or all the parts may be of steel or other metal, if preferred.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim ise- 1. A pipe or rod holder consisting of op- IOO positely-disposed independent base sections spaced apart, side bars detachably connected with said base-sections, and opposing gripping-jaws movably supported in said basesections and adapted to operate upon opposite sides of an object disposed between Ythe basesections.

2. A pipe or rod holder consisting of oppositely-disposed base-sections spaced apart and having inwardly-facing cavities, side bars detachably connected to said base members, and opposing gripping-jaw members movably connected in said cavities and adapted to operate upon the pipe or rod disposed between said base-sections, substantially as described.

3. A pipe or rod holder consisting of oppositely-disposed base-sections spaced apart and having inwardly-facing cavities, side bars detachably connected to said base members, and opposing gripping-jaw members movably connected in said cavities and adapted to operate upon the pipe or rod disposed between said base-sections, and springs within said cavities and bearing upon said gripping-jaw members, and yieldably maintaining them normally in operative position, 'substantially as described.

4. A pipe or rod holder consisting of oppositely-disposed base-sections having transverse apertures, connecting bars disposed upon opposite sides of said sections and provided with a plurality of spaced apertures adapted to register respectively with the apertures in said base-sections, tie-bolts adapted to engage said registering apertures, whereby the base-sections may be detachably and adjustably connected, and opposing grippingjaws movably supported in said base-sections and adapted to operate upon opposite sides of the pipe or rod held between the base-sections, substantially as described.

5. A pipe or rod holder consisting of oppositely-disposed base-sections spaced apart and connected detachably by side bars, and opposing gripping-jaws movably supported in said base-sections and adapted to operate upon opposite sides of the object disposed between the base-sections, said jaw members having oppositely-disposed recesses, and a spreaderkey adapted to engage said recesses to maintain said jaw members distended in inoperative position, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EVERETTE EWING TOWNSEND.

Witnesses:

BEVERLY GREENWOOD, FRED. CLARK. 

